Been scouting & riding around trying to find birds, not many to be seen or heard right now, in Dutchess County & my spots are near bare as far as turkeys go. My fear of to many coyotes & 3 bad nesting seasons in a row around here are coming true. Who is seeing them? Mike
I've been seeing them in Delaware Co, haven't seen much in Dutchess, Just in Wappingers and a few dead along the TSP.
I'm seeing plenty. Lots of gobblers on hens but no gobbling to be heard.
Lots out east no many out west.
Not too many here either. Not looking very exciting this year. My spots appear to be a loss. This will be the 3rd year in a row! I will still be headed out every chance I get though. I love those early mornings in May.
Haven't heard a gobble this year, but the turkeys are around. I posted trail cam pics on the " Trail cams don't lie " thread. Wish you the best with your Turkey season. :thumbsup:
Lots and Lots around, full strut everywhere I look, but they all seem quite quiet :dunno:
Hearing and seeing a lot here in Chenango County.
I've only ever hunted a few places up there where they really gobble hard. I find alot of quiet birds around. Think the pressure is high ina lot of places ... lotta dogs etc.
I have been noticing more and more coyotes in green county in recent years too.
I've had good luck just calling DEC officers and asking em for some leads. They're usually pretty cool about it, guess not many people actually talk to them.
FWIW, I've actually had some good success hunting turkeys Oct. 1st in NY if its a warm year and using basically spring hunting tactics. Lots of gobbling still ...
Good luck to everyone up there. I'm back end of May and hope to get it done. I;'ve got about a week to hunt so we'll see.
Seeing lots of birds-- flocks with numerous birds strutting in the mornings, solo hens drifting in the late AM. Gobbles here and there. At last a season that won't be over before the opener!
havnt even called around the hill. But the other day a nice long bird few over my house and he came off the hill I hunt, so that a good sign :)
Southern Tier NY they are out and about. Started hearing them at 5:30-6:00am this last week in our yard. I haven't been out in the woods yet but I've seen 2-3 every day on the sides of the road or hit by cars on the Taconic and Sprain Brook PWYs.
Seems to me like Stone Knife has called it.There are pockets of birds in WNY but the numbers are way down.I've been hitting my spots from Niagara county south to our camp in Humphrey and just not seeing much sign and few birds.Same report from my friends.The fellas in the eastern part of the state are far more optimistic about the coming season.
Seeing ton and tons in Albany county. Just a month ago I was seeing flocks of 30-40 birds in a bunch of locations. They are spread out a bit now but I am seeing a few groups of Toms everyday and watched a bunch go to roost last night. I am putting up the blind tomorrow afternoon and hope to get a shot at a bird weds. morning. I have to be to work by 9am. after my dentist appt! :rolleyes: I have several good set-ups and I am gonna truly gonna give it a good go this year. Shawn
QuoteOriginally posted by Shawn Leonard:
Seeing ton and tons in Albany county. Just a month ago I was seeing flocks of 30-40 birds in a bunch of locations. They are spread out a bit now but I am seeing a few groups of Toms everyday and watched a bunch go to roost last night. I am putting up the blind tomorrow afternoon and hope to get a shot at a bird weds. morning. I have to be to work by 9am. after my dentist appt! :rolleyes: I have several good set-ups and I am gonna truly gonna give it a good go this year. Shawn
Going to be a lot of those dentist appointments on Wed. ;)
No work for me Wednesday. Gonna hunt out back for a bit and try and take out that gobbler that tried to mug my wife last week. :saywhat:
I have the day off. Finally after 6 years I have enough seniority to get some time in may off.
I have not been hearing them or seeing them. I talk with people who walk around that area and they say they see them from time to time. Its funny, they were all over the place last fall.
I have seen a few birds in Westchester County(Armonk and Pound Ridge but not as regularly as I would hope. I willhunt in Pound Ridge where I am luvky to have access and I have seen a very nlarge Tom there two weeks ago but..I often have yo entice them to cross suburban roads with their school bus and commutor traffic. Lots of patience required but it has paid off in the past. In Delaware County on the family farm I did not see a single bird last deer season but lo and behold,Im saw a really nice strutting bird this weekend. You don't need big flocks to have fun turkey huntimg if you are willing to literally run up and down those mountains. I have a feeling there will be less gobbling this year.
I found out there will be 2 guys sitting on the fence of the 5 acres I had to hunt. Hopefully they are only opening day hunters. How many days in a row can they call out sick??? I could go tell their boss :rolleyes:
found a new spot. Never been there before. The guy I am going with said the landowner said Turkeys all over. Hope she's right. I know that general area is good. :pray:
Called a tom in to about 50 -60 yards ,came in from behind. I think a hen cut him off, that harlot!! Then all was silent!! It was a beautiful day to be in the woods that early, nice sunrise!!
No luck this morning. heard 2 distant gobbles. Found out the hard way they were logging the property next door. Timberrrrr :scared:
It was a nice property, bit of a drive. Lots of deer and turkey sign.
Nursing broken ribs....This is the 1st opening day that I've missed in about 25 yrs :( I was going to try to get out, but I figured that I'd give it a few more days. Good Luck to those who are out there!!
Had 3 different birds gobbling this morning,after they hit the ground they became tight-lipped.I did have a jake sneek in.No shot though.Still felt good to get to hunt again.going out in the morning again.Will try to get closer to those toms.......
Heard a bird clear on the other road gobbling his head off but no luck in my woods. Nobody in my area seen or heard much but my buddy who lives the next town over worked birds and his Dad killed a 23lb gobbler.
Worked from my ground blind all morning. Finally worked a Stretch Neck in from way up on the ridge. He had two girlfriends with him and took their sweet time coming to my clucks,purrs, and leaf scratching.Finally at 11:00 he came to my decs only to shoot over him at 8 yrds, What a hunt though. Loved every minute of it.Tomorrows another day.Can't believe I missed him that close. He was a nice Gob with 7 or 8 in. beard.Saw another hen early, a grouse feed with my decs, and two coyotes came threw at 40 yrds.First gobbles Iv' heard this spring.Maybe they just haven't been close enough to the house for me to hear them. :dunno: Best of luck everyone- God Bless
Sorry to hear that David! But atleast you had a good time and got a shot. Maybe tomorrow will be better for all of us!
Nice try Dave,at least you got a shot.
Lots around here. A week ago I walked out on the back deck - house is on a slope so the back deck is elevated - and a hen that had been robbing sunflower seeds from under the birdfeeder took off from under my feet! Scared the crap out of both of us.
Took my buddy out for his first hunt. I pulled 4 jakes into 6' of the blind. He didn't pick a spot and only got feathers. They stayed just out of range until we finally had a nice Tom coming in. Those jakes attacked and beat the hell out of him and ran him out of the county. Tomorrow I am up at bat first. Wish us luck!
We heard a few gobbles on the roost and then nothing today. At 7:30 a jake came in silent and started to strut. I let my buddy take the shot and he made a great one. It was his first turkey ever. It was an awesome morning! I was just as pumped as he was!
Nice going Greg. Yesterday we had 4 come within 100 yards there were 11 hens with them. Our Deeks weren't tempting enough. 2 hens broke away and walked up to us and into the woods 1 pecked at the side of my blind. Anyway so we spent later in the day setting up the blind etc. put the decoys inside for the next morning. Went back to see were everyone was bedding for the night everything was fine.
Went back at 4:15 this morning everything gone blind decoys my stool camo. 200 acres of private land. Been going every night for 2 weeks and haven't seen anyone.
My sons response we at least we know to look for trespassers.
Guess someone needed them more than me. :dunno:
Congrats Greg!
Sorry about your fortune Merle. Your horse picture is awesome on your profile.
Went this morning with Bowspirit. No Gobbles, No hens... Nothing.... Unless you count the 6 deer and 2 coyotes. The woods had turkey sign everywhere... Not sure what to do now, hope they'll be back.
I was getting discouraged until I heard my first gobble at 9am.Decent bird (6in ?) pretty much ran in when I called but he came in on my off side and busted me as I turned at 20yds. Maybe Friday.
Thanks Charlie it's my own fault, first time I ever left everything like that. The deeks I made were cumbersome with all the glued on feathers so I thought I would leave them there.
Could have been worse at least I didn't leave my quiver binocs calls etc. :knothead:
Last birds seen at the farm was last spring. Not looking good in my area-no birds have been seen or heard,no tracks. It seems like they left the area for some reason.
I was supposed to get out this morning but got in late from a great day of striped bass fishing. I know I have hunted on less sleep but today I decided to sleep in. Besides, I knew there would be a lot of guys in the area where I wanted to go. Thats my story, I'm stick'n string with it.
Looks like the coyotes have done a number on the number of birds. At least in my neck of the woods. Talked to another hunter who hunts the same turf every year and we concluded that there are basically no last years population. Not only are there less birds, but fewer young Hens and neither one of us has seen a Jake yet.I'll have my work cut out for me the rest of the season.
Not hearing much or seeing a lot around my area, I have been hunting turkey since 1982 and have seen it good and bad. Hang in there as the season wears on guys will start to peel off leaving the birds that are left less disturbed. The hens being to fade away and the big boys will begin to talk and possibly come to the call, soft and sparingly wins the day with high pressure birds.
Rumor has it that all the turkey in NY are vacationing in Joe Skipp's yard. :biglaugh:
I have hunted 4 of the 5 days. Heard birds everyday, had a close encounter with a jake. I have birds here they just are not talking much and for some reason not hitting the fields til around 730 or later. Nate and I sat this morning til 830ish and heard some early gobbles and than a late fly-down(6:15) we called very little but nothing. We walked out to look acrossed the road and there was a nice Tom and two jakes strutting and doing a little sparring. Big monster bird, I moved the blind about 10;30 so hopefully tomorrow morning is the day. My buddy Jughead took his first with a recurve(Samick Sage)giant bird, 23#s and 11.75" beard and at least 1.25" hooks. I will try and get him to join and post a pic. Those Sages are nice bows at any price, but $139 they are a great bow. Only problem I am hunting near the river with Nate, not my spots and the ticks are crazy!! Picked 22 off Friday and another 15 this am. The stripers are calling me right now, We have gotten a couple 40"ers and quite a few 32-36"ers as well. Any good ones Charlie?? Sorry for the long post but I am hunting birds that get no pressure and it is strange the way they are acting this year, calling from the roost and shutting up real quick, than coming in silent if they come at all. I know Curt saw a nice bird this am and heard some more. I got that one gobbling on the way out and that was 8:45, also went down back with the truck at 10 and saw 3 jakes and a Tom out back as well. Keep at it boys. I have hunted more this year than all of last yar already!! Have Fun!! Shawn
Good luck Shawn. No big ones. all 15-20 lbs but fun none the less. The river is full of fish right now.
The farm where I had seen turkeys all fall has dried up. Talked with a few neighbors today that live out there. They said out of five guys the last 4 days, there has been one hen seen and no gobbles whatsoever.
Strange year indeed, Tom's have not been gobbling from the trees at all.They didn't much last year either.Like Jim says, they will start getting a little lonely as the hens get breed.They can turn into real suckers once again. Just remember Guys, We're trad bow hunters and that makes it a much more challenging hunt, especially when it comes time to pull the trigger..........because we have no trigger!
Dave ive been noticing the same thing. Ive not even worked a bird yet! We seen them in the fall but right now you wouldnt know there were turkeys anywhere around here. Im thinkin im just gonna have to sit in the blind for a few hours and wait them out. Couple other guys I talk too are experenceing the same thing.
Pretty bad so far. Heard 2 toms on thursday and nothing today. Think I might have to start varmit hunting a little harder
Finally! After a very poor season I finally connected! I shot a jake at 12 yds. The shot was low and he took off running.... so did I. After a very stressful 200 yards dash through the woods, he was mine! I'm glad he didn't fly! (http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o629/wetfeathers1/IMG_3759_zps6a2d9a04.jpg) (http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/wetfeathers1/media/IMG_3759_zps6a2d9a04.jpg.html)
Well, the season deteriorated along with the weather (wet and cold) and, as it turns out, I probably should have taken a shot at the jake that walked in front of my blind on the first weekend.......live and learn.
This past weekend after heavy rains high winds and then cold the toms ended 2 weeks of inactivity in central ny. Shot my second tom sunday AM after he bred a hen then came into my decoys . My friends did well with shotguns in central ny and the catskills also.Hens apparently lost eggs and some were breeding again
This past weekend after heavy rains high winds and then cold the toms ended 2 weeks of inactivity in central ny. Shot my second tom sunday AM after he bred a hen then came into my decoys . My friends did well with shotguns in central ny and the catskills also.Hens apparently lost eggs and some were breeding again